Exercise with WM

Many with Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinaemia find staying active harder due to symptoms or treatment side effects. While this can be frustrating, staying active is important for well-being.

Physical activity has lots of benefits.

It can help to reduce fatigue, improve your mental health, control your weight and blood pressure, and reducing your risk of heart disease. It can also help to manage some treatment side effects.

People with Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinaemia often find that they struggle to keep as active as they once were, due to symptoms or side effects of treatment. This can be frustrating or saddening, especially if you can’t do activities you enjoy. However, it’s important to try to keep as active as you can.

You don’t need to exercise hard to feel the benefits.

Mild exercise like gentle walking, gardening and household chores can really add up. The guidelines are to do 150 minutes of moderate activity every week. These can be in bursts of just 10 minutes.

Plan your exercise

if you know you often have more energy in the morning, then schedule in a gentle morning walk

Build up gradually

if you’re not used to exercise or haven’t exercised for a while, start in small 5-10 minute chunks and gradually build up the time from there

Try mild exercises

Mild exercises might include household chores (gardening, hoovering), walking or yoga

Adapt activities

If, for example, you are a keen cyclist but can’t manage hills, swap your old bike out for an electric one to help you on the inclines

Get expert guidance.

If you’re unsure about starting a new regime, your doctor or physiotherapist will be able to help you put together a plan for your specific needs

Managing WM symptoms

You may have WM symptoms or related conditions that make exercising a bit more difficult, such peripheral neuropathy which can affect balance. It’s still important to keep active, but you may need extra help.

Speak to your healthcare team before starting exercise. They should be able to refer you to a physiotherapist who can advise you safe activities, exercises that might help your symptoms, and any adjustments you can make.